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A court official has thrown out Drake's defamation lawsuit targeting Universal Music Group concerning Kendrick Lamar’s song the diss record.

Judge Jeannette Vargas determined that Lamar's lyrics, which claimed the artist and his associates of being "certified paedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and cannot be considered defamatory.

Drake filed the legal action in early this year, accusing UMG, the music company behind the two rappers, of defamation by allowing the song to be released and marketed, stating it disseminated a "untrue and harmful story".

The artist’s spokesperson stated he intended to challenge the decision. UMG said it was satisfied with the result and was eager to resuming its collaboration with the rapper.

Context of the Hip-Hop Feud

The diss song, which was first dropped in May 2024, was widely seen as the final strike in an ongoing battle between the rival rappers.

It has emerged as the most successful track of the rapper’s career, having received five Grammys and being one of the most-talked about highlights of his Super Bowl performance in February.

In a 38-page order, Judge Vargas called the dispute between the artists "the most notorious hip-hop feud in the history of rap music".

"Both rappers’ seven-track rap battle was a 'war of words' that was the focus of extensive press coverage and online discourse," the court noted.

"While the claim that Drake is a pedophile is undoubtedly a serious one, the wider backdrop of a intense musical rivalry, with incendiary language and insulting claims exchanged by both participants, would not lead the average audience to believe that 'the track' imparts truthful statements about the claimant."

She also noted that, in an previous track, the artist had "challenged Lamar to make the paedophilia accusations" that featured in the diss record.

On the track Taylor Made Freestyle, the rapper used the synthetic vocals of Tupac Shakur to suggest strategies on how to win the rap battle.

"Talk about him likin' young girls, that's a gift from me," the track proposed.

"It is in this context in which such lines as 'Hey Drake, I’ve heard you prefer them young' must be assessed," stated the court.

"The similarity in the phrasing strongly indicates that this line is a direct callback to Drake's lyrics in the prior song."

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

The musician, whose legal name is Aubrey Graham, did not sue his rival in the lawsuit.

His lawyers alleged the label of launching "an effort to generate a viral hit" out of a track that made the "false factual allegation that Drake is a convicted predator, and to imply that the audience should resort to extra-legal action in response".

Ruling against Drake, Judge Vargas said listeners would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a musical attack "filled with profanity, trash-talking, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She pointed out that the rapper himself had used comparable rhetoric, quoting a lyric in which the artist "strongly" suggested that "Lamar is a spouse beater", and another where Drake "raps that he 'was told' that one of his rival’s children may not be his biological offspring."

Regarding Lamar's song, Judge Vargas said: "Although seemingly factual claims may assume the character of statements of opinion... when made in open discourse, intense arguments, or similar situations in which an audience may expect the use of epithets, passionate language or exaggeration."

Responding to the rejection, a UMG spokesperson said: "From the outset, this case was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and never should have seen the light of day."

"We are satisfied with the judge’s ruling and look forward to resuming our partnership effectively promoting Drake's music and supporting his career," the representative continued.

A representative for the musician said the artist planned to appeal the decision, "and we await the appellate court examining it".

Lamar has yet to comment on the case.